Implementing an Agile Program

A program is a group of more than one and up to 15 Agile teams that are working on a single deliverable, or multiple tightly-interrelated deliverables. Implementing Agile at the program level requires practices beyond single-team Scrum and requires addressing the challenges often seen in coordinating across teams. This multiple-day offering addresses those challenges and is designed to position your organization for success as you scale Agile from teams to programs.

This offering will be customized based on the number of teams and the Agile maturity of the teams involved.

Intended Audience

This offering is designed to support the Product Owners, program managers, ScrumMasters, project managers, and delivery team members of the multi-team program working on a single deliverable, or multiple tightly-interrelated deliverables.

Advantages

Upon completion of this service, members of the teams will be able to:

  • Have a consistent understanding of what Agile is and what Agile practices the program will use
  • Organize the multi-team program into cross-functional Scrum teams, including deciding whether the teams will work one or multiple backlogs
  • Create a Product Owner team – with a communication plan -- to guide the product backlogs, releases, and roadmap for the program
  • Determine a communication and coordination plan across teams
  • Determine a recurring practice around inspecting and adapting across the program
  • Plan, deliver, and retrospect on iteration 1
  • Retrospect on the communication and coordination constructs of the program
  • Create a release (or mid-range) plan for the program

Workshop Details

Day(s) 1 - n: Agile Team Training

Implementing an Agile Program begins with a day of classroom-style Agile Team Training for groups of up to 30 participants. Once the entire Program has completed a day of Agile Team Training, Program Planning begins.

Please note: We have used an (n) to represent the first day of team training. Since the entire group of teams must complete the first Agile Team Training, it is important to consider that the next level of training does not begin until the first wave of training is completed.

Day N+1: Facilitated Program Planning

Facilitated Program Planning day to cover:

  • Team structure and organization
  • Reporting issues
  • Mechanics of Program-wide Iteration Planning Meetings
  • Program-wide engineering issues and practices
  • Scrum of Scrums and distributed team issues
  • Organization of Product Owner Team
  • Initial Product Backlog Generation (just enough for Sprint 1)
  • Adaptations to local conditions (phase gates, etc.)
Day N+2: Facilitated Sprint 1 Planning

One or more coaches facilitate sprint planning for all teams. All teams start the first sprint together, if possible.

During Iteration 1:

Remote delivery of coached Product Backlog grooming session for PO team. Coach can also provide phone/web support of the delivery teams, including attending Daily Scrum and Scrum of Scrums meetings as requested. Coach may also remotely help teams prepare for the sprint demo.

At End of Iteration 1:

Coach returns for on-site coaching and facilitation.

Day 1 (or more):
  • Facilitated Iteration Demo/Review for teams and for the Program
  • Facilitated Team Retrospectives
  • Facilitated Program Retrospective
Day 2:
  • Program Release Planning
Day 3 (or more):
  • Facilitated Iteration 2 Planning for all teams

Price & Availability

Contact your Rally account representative at sales@rallydev.com to schedule and for information on pricing. Complete this form and a Rally Representative will follow-up with you shortly.